Star Wars: Will of Fire
by ULTRA SONIC
Summary: Post-TPM. Rejected by the Jedi Order and sent back to Tatooine, Anakin finds himself under the protective wing of a warrior from another dimension. One who, like him, was a Child of Prophecy. Now under the combined tutelage of this warrior and the Force-spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn. Anakin sets out to fulfill his destiny as the Chosen One...
1. Beginning Again

AN: This story came about from some writer's block I was having while I was working on another fic, and at first I was like, _Nah, no way._ But shortly after that I started to get some more ideas, and then I thought, _Wait a second…I think I've got something here!_

Along with my writer's block, my idea also came from other sources: the first J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie; as well as the fics "The Awakening: Revised Edition", the "Forever Destined" series, "Force-Jumper", and the "Never Gone" series, which were all written by Lilac Moon; the "Naboo Chronicles" series by REVO42175; "New Chance" by Hektols; and "Justice League: Fire Shadow" by Freedom Guard.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; they belong to their respective creators (in this case, Masashi Kishimoto and George Lucas)

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Prologue – Beginning Again

_In a galaxy far, far away…there exists an entity that is the originator of life itself. By her will, worlds and stars come forth and take shape, forming galaxies and eventually, the universe itself. And out of that came life forms, both sentient and non-sentient._

_To ensure that her will would be carried out (for after all, with freedom of choice came the opportunity for conflict, as well as genuine love in all forms) this entity endowed several individuals throughout the galaxy with her powers, allowing her will to be channeled through those she chose so that peace, and most importantly, balance would be assured._

_In time, her followers referred to her as the Force. Despite it being a small description of who she really was, the name was still a title that fit her._

_But although many followed her will, there then arose those who believed that strength lied not in balance, but in one part of her gifts, which would come to be known as the dark side. However, the Force herself knew that true strength did not reside in one part of her power, but from _all_ forms in perfect harmony (especially the part that many would come to call the living Force), and the core that makes up that exact harmony is love. To lean on one side alone would only lead to disaster. If one was to rely solely on light, then one would lose the zest and passion for life and become stagnant, and eventually become unable to adapt for change, which is always constant. On the other hand, if one relies only on darkness, then one can lose themselves and become something else entirely…something twisted, and foul._

_Unfortunately, that understanding was lost in translation, for in time war between her followers known as the Jedi and the followers of the Dark Side known as the Sith Lords would begin. And the Force had to sadly see many lives lost because of the Sith's desire for ever more power. Eventually the Jedi were able to obtain a victory against their adversaries, but it came at a high cost, for the casualties suffered on the Jedi side had been quite grave, so much so that in the long run the Jedi Order made the decision to ultimately forbid having any attachments to anyone, and have very little emotion as possible, believing that discipline alone, rather than passion under control would allow them to have a much objective view of things and never be caught off guard again. However, the Force knew there was more to it than that, and knowing what was in the Jedi's hearts she saw that forbidding attachments was created more out of fear than seeking a clearer insight. A sentient being's ability to go through the motions of losing someone, but then making peace with it and moving on was one of the key foundations to life itself. To prohibit that would only allow a possibility for someone to be ensnared by the Dark side – in essence, the Jedi would only end up creating the very problem they wanted to prevent – the rise of more Sith Lords._

_To make matters worse, The Force also knew that one lone Sith by the name of Darth Bane had survived the Sith purge. But rather than try and make a final stand against his Jedi enemies, Bane adopted patience as his virtue. Not only that, but ironically enough he also utilized the Jedi virtues of cunning, stealth, and subterfuge to allow himself to adapt for the changing times and be able to stay one step ahead of his Jedi enemies, if not several. In addition, Bane also created The Rule of Two, where there would be no more than two Sith Lords at one time. And over the course of a millennia, things would remain so._

_But as much as the Sith's actions troubled the Force greatly, seeing what her Jedi followers had become saddened and offended her more. Within that same time span of a thousand years the Force's followers had twisted her will into something that turned them all into entities not too dissimilar from robotic helpers called droids. And in addition, their decision to cut themselves off from the people they serve had only become more prevalent, and the fact that the Sith Lords had adapted so well for the times that they were now able to hide themselves in plain sight of the Jedi (due in part to the latter party's own complacency) made the Force realize that the time for dramatic change was now. Fortunately she had gotten the proverbial ball rolling eons back by revealing to one Jedi of the arrival of her own child – the Chosen One, the one who will not only destroy the Sith, but restore the balance. For a long time after that it was believed to be nothing more than some myth, and not to be taken too seriously, but to some within the Jedi Order, it was something that merited attention. Of course, even the few curious ones could only guess as to what the true meaning of the prophecy was, but the Force herself knew._

_Eradicating the Sith Order was only part of the prophecy. The other part involved revolutionizing the Jedi Order (specifically abolishing the prohibition of attachments). Now despite this, the Force could not and would not obligate the Jedi into making a choice, but the latter party needed to be made aware of the consequences no matter what choice they made. If they chose to accept change, then they would truly be on their way to achieving balance under her Chosen One's leadership and example. If they didn't…disaster would follow, and many innocent lives would pay the price…and not just because of the Sith's machinations, but also because of the Jedi's unwillingness to accept change._

_Within due time, her Chosen One was born to a virgin mother and was christened the name Anakin Skywalker, and lived an idyllic life on the desert planet of Tatooine. Although he was born into slavery, her child lived a happy life, and discovered an uncanny ability to fix just about anything and have reflexes beyond compare when it came to piloting a craft of any kind (all due to his gifts given to him by the Force). In time he was discovered by a maverick Jedi Master and after a series of events was brought before the council in an attempt to train him. But sadly things would not turn out the way the Force had wanted initially. For although Anakin was eventually accepted to be trained, the Jedi's weariness of him, coupled with his own anxieties about losing those he loved (and having tension with his mentor more often than not) along with several other things made her child become easy prey for Darth Sidious, who was able to trick Anakin to going to the Dark Side under the promise that doing so would grant him the power to save his wife from dying. Of course, Sidious had no idea how to use the force in that way (and the Force herself knew that defying death did not work that way either), but he was able to keep up the pretense enough to convince Anakin to become the Sith Lord known as Darth Vader. And then shortly after more tragedies occurred, darkness reigned for the better part of eighteen to twenty years, until Anakin and Padme's son Luke learned of Vader's true identity and despite what Yoda and Obi-Wan told him about Vader (which offended the Force greatly since she could sense the two 'Masters' were also trying to deflect much of the blame they had in her Chosen One's fall), set about to bring his father back to the light, and just when it seemed hopeless and Sidious was on the verge of victory, Vader turned on Sidious and threw him over the platform, thus saving his son, wiping out the Sith Order completely and becoming Anakin Skywalker long enough to see his son for the first and last time before he died._

_But although the Force was glad her Chosen One redeemed himself in the end (and in the process was reunited with his angel in the afterlife), the fact that so many lives were unnecessarily lost was just too much, to say nothing of the two Jedi remnants still leaning more on that ridiculous Jedi Code even towards the end and not telling Luke other important details like who his mother was, which the Force found quite inexcusable (and something she gave a mild rebuke to Obi-Wan and Yoda after Palpatine was dealt with and sentenced to hell). It had not been a coincidence that her Chosen One met Padme in that shop on Tatooine all those years ago; the Force had purposely created her through Jobal and Ruwee Nabierre to complete her Chosen One and guide him with her love, but sadly thanks in no small part to the Jedi Order (and Sidious), things went tragic, and Anakin, Padme, and their family had deserved better than that._

_Although the Force knew she could not alter the timeline that had occurred (for it was already set and could not be changed), she knew that at least the Chosen One's true legacy would continue through his descendants. Plus, given the nature of time itself, there were always new timelines/lifetimes being created by her will, and with that came a brand new plan in her mind. Her Chosen One would still come into being in a new timeline, as would his beloved angel and everyone else, but the Force now knew that the people to see to his training could not come from the Jedi Order (not initially anyway). In order for her child to succeed, he would need a foundation to draw upon in order to be able to counter the Sith Lord's temptations. Upon looking at the Force Spirit of one specific Jedi maverick the Force found one half of the puzzle in regards to her child's future training, now there was just one more piece left…and the Force knew it had to be someone different…someone who could genuinely give her Chosen One that much-needed foundation._

_Then no sooner did she ponder this did the Force then sense a break in the barrier between her own dimension and another. Upon further inspection she discovered the spirit of a warrior that was very similar to her Chosen One yet different. Looking deeper into his soul the Force was amazed by what she saw. From the beginning of this man's life to now, the Force saw everything ranging from sorrow, to losses and triumphs, and finally…acceptance and happiness. Not only that, but it seemed that this warrior's spirit also contained a powerful entity that could eclipse any Grand Master in existence, but it also had a sense of honor and pride which was quite interesting to the Force._

_After finally seeing everything this warrior had gone through up to now, that was when the Force smiled a warm gentle smile._

"I have found my Chosen One's other teacher." She said as she then placed a barrier around the warrior, thus protecting him from dying in the vacuum of space and allowing him to rest while she prepared to speak to him at the most opportune moment…


	2. End of one journey, the beginning of ano

Chapter 1 – End of one journey, the beginning of another

There's a common saying that one's life flashes before their eyes when they die.

But even with that, there are also those who tend to be skeptical of that saying, seeing as how they've had near-death experiences and never once had that type of flash.

Fortunately in the case of Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, it was the former.

In many ways, he wasn't afraid or even regretful. In fact, he welcomed it with a sense of total peace, which would seem weird to some, since if one was to look at him one would wonder why a man who seemed to be in the prime of his life would welcome death with open arms without so much a fight.

The reality is that although Naruto still looked like he was in his late twenties, his _real_ age was anything but. In fact, from the time he was born up to this very moment, he was now one hundred and twenty years old, and within that amount of time, Naruto had accomplished far more than most people could ever dare to dream of within that amount of time (even himself).

After finally defeating Madara Uchiha, his accomplice Tobi (or Obito Uchiha as Naruto and his friends/allies found out) and by extension the Ten-Tails once and for all, many things transpired shortly after the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War. The biggest being the revelation of Naruto as the Yondaime Hokage's only son. Needless to say, the shock on people's faces was priceless. For those who had belittled Naruto as he was growing up, that revelation came with a sledgehammer of guilt and shame. The Konoha 11 (or 12 once Sasuke returned to help stop Madara and Obito as well) were also shocked once they learned of it. But Naruto being who he was said it was okay and he forgave everybody a long time ago, to which Ino then said that that makes Naruto only more of a better person and one whose friendship they don't deserve (save a few like Hinata and Iruka). But of course, Naruto repeated his forgiveness and asked that they all put the past behind them, for now they had a ninja world to build anew.

After having a funeral to honor those whose lives were lost (including Tsunade, Neji, Shikaku, and Inoichi), all the ninjas from the hidden villages began the process of rebuilding their villages anew, but this time, in a way that would ensure peace for years to come and beyond. For Konoha the first thing was to find a new Hokage, since Tsunade gave her life saving the other Kages from dying after their own battle with Madara. Fortunately it turned out before Tsunade died she had left a scroll detailing Naruto's real connection to Minato and the former's heritage from his mother Kushina's side. Needless to say, that revelation along with Naruto's other accomplishments made it less of a question for Konoha's civilians and ninjas to choose their new Hokage, and with the backing of all the other villages interestingly enough, Naruto was officially made the Rokudaime (Sixth) Hokage of Konoha, which Naruto humbly and gladly accepted, choosing his other members of his graduating class to act as his advisors.

Naruto's first order of business as Hokage was to address the issue regarding Sasuke and his actions. At that moment Naruto then realized that as much as Itachi wanted to have the truth of the Uchiha Massacre buried, Naruto knew that they could not go into an era of peace and leave any cards out of the table. Not only that, but to keep that specific truth buried any longer would mean going back to the old ninja system, which would only create a whitewashed peace that would only lead to more conflicts in the long-run.

Hating the fact that he had to break his word for once in his life (even though he didn't explicitly give Itachi his word that he would keep the Uchiha massacre secret), Naruto revealed the truth of the Uchiha Massacre, as well as what happened on the night of his birth (which Naruto credited Hinata, Shizune, and Shikamaru for helping him out with that). Once the facts were cross-checked and proven, Koharu and Homura were then arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. Throughout the whole process the two Elders were unrepentant in their actions, saying that even with certain facts they did not know at the time (such as Obito being alive and being the one who extracted the Nine-Tails from Kushina and then having it attack the village, thus instigating many of the events that followed), they did whatever they had to do to protect Konoha and if that labeled them as traitors or conspirators in the end, then so be it. Once Sakura heard that comment it took every ounce of willpower she had not to go over there and kill the two Elders herself, but fortunately Sasuke had been there during the trial and was able to calm her down.

Although Sasuke was then given some clemency for what happened (namely the other villages taking him off the Bingo Books), he still could not be left unpunished and had to take responsibility for his own actions and as such Naruto had Sasuke's chakra permanently sealed until Sasuke could earn back Konoha's trust and until Naruto himself felt Sasuke had earned it, to which Sasuke accepted.

Throughout the whole ordeal Hinata proved to be quite the support for Naruto, being every bit the sounding board and confidant to him (along with the rest of the Konoha 12), which Naruto appreciated greatly. In fact, shortly after he became Hokage Naruto finally took a chance and asked Hinata out for some ramen, which Hinata gratefully accepted (inwardly the Hyuga heiress was jumping up and down in excitement). After that things just went from there for Naruto and Hinata, and then eventually things between the two teens blossomed into a deep romance that Naruto never thought would be possible.

But Naruto's romance prospects didn't end there, for Shizune and Shikamaru both revealed that since Naruto was the last of his clan, he was entitled to have more than wife to restore his clan. Needless to say, once Naruto heard this, he blushed in such a way that would have outdone Hinata. In fact, when Sasuke heard about it, he joked that Naruto out-blushed the blush-mistress that was Hinata that day. Naruto wasn't sure what to do in regards to the whole Clan Restoration Act and as such he talked to Hinata about it, to which Hinata then said that if having to share him meant she could still be with him and love him as only a woman can love her boyfriend/future husband, then she was okay with it if he was okay with it.

Once Naruto went the CRA route, he then received word from Princess Koyuki Kazahana and Priestess Shion from their respective countries. Although they weren't able to send help when the Fourth Shinobi War was raging (and it wasn't for lack of trying), they were able to send relief after the whole thing ended. It turned out that they wanted to have a much stronger tie with Konoha to make sure that if another crisis was to happen again, they would be able to send help and not have to go through channels. Plus, in the case of Shion, she wanted to remind Naruto of his promise to her to give her a daughter to pass on her powers to. Of course, Naruto at the time didn't really know what she meant, but having realized it now Naruto was glad that a) he had a loving and understanding girlfriend/future wife in Hinata, and b) he made a wise choice in going the CRA route. Plus, to top it all off, the Mizukage Mei Merumi also wanted to strengthen the ties between her village and Konoha as well. The fact that Naruto was revealed as the Yondaime's son was only a bonus to all three women, to say nothing of how Naruto proved himself as a shinobi and as a human being during the war. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, but not willing to back down from anything, Naruto forged ahead and accepted all three women's offer, but he wanted to get to know them as people as well, not just for the sake of other factors and fortunately Koyuki, Shion and Mei felt the same way, which was a relief for Naruto.

Much like with Hinata, Naruto grew to like (and eventually love) the other three women (and in Koyuki's case, more than just being a fan of hers since she was still acting), and eventually, he took the plunge and proposed to all four women, which they all gleefully accepted (Hinata being the first Naruto proposed to).

The wedding that followed was nothing short of extravagant, and Kiba and some of the other shinobi wanted to take Naruto to one of the Red Light Districts for a bachelor party to end all bachelor parties just before he was officially married, to which Naruto refused and opted for something different bachelor party-wise, especially since he had already been to one District back when he and Jiraiya were on the final part of their 2 ½ year training trip, but no woman had ever come up to him at the time, plus he had been busy trying to drag a half-drunk, half-beaten up Jiraiya out of one of the bars due to the latter peeping on some of the women in their dressing rooms. Not only that, but he had already been intimate with Hinata when they started getting serious as a couple, as well as with Koyuki, Shion, and Mei.

And although Naruto kept his mouth shut when the guys peppered him with questions about his wedding night/honeymoon with his four wives, he had _more_ than enjoyed his wedding night/honeymoon.

Now having the title of Hokage and married to four gorgeous (and very strong) women, Naruto began his tenure of leading/protecting his village, as well as keeping the way of peace. Granted, even with the threat of Madara, Obito, and the Ten-Tails gone, there were always conflicts that arose, but Naruto and co. were there to resolve them, even if at times it meant taking up arms.

This was not to say Naruto's other teammates didn't find happiness in their lives, for they more than did. Kiba for example ended up dating and eventually marrying Karui from Kumo. How Kiba even managed to pull that off nor Naruto nor Hinata ever knew, but Kiba did, and plus his good friend Akamaru found a mate of his own from the Inuzuka kennels. They ended up having a few kids (and in Akamaru's case, several puppies), who eventually became great ninjas in their own right.

With Sasuke things were a little bit tougher, for although the whole truth of his clan was now out in the open (along with the other details connected to it) and the last Uchiha was spared the death penalty as a result, he still had quite a way to go before he could be trusted again. But Sasuke, having long since made the choice to follow his brother's wish and finally abandon his own desire for revenge, took whatever scrutiny was sent his way, for he knew things could have been a whole lot worse. Although Sasuke occasionally wondered at times why Naruto still showed him compassion even after everything he put him and Sakura through, but Sasuke realized that Itachi had entrusted his little brother to Naruto because of who the latter was in his heart and how more of a brother Naruto had been in comparison to Itachi, which humbled the Uchiha more than he realized. Once he realized that, Sasuke didn't care anymore if it took him a lifetime to earn back Konoha's trust. Plus, at least now he could make his own decisions without any pretenses or any unwanted influences. At first he avoided Sakura since he wasn't sure exactly how to speak to her after he had nearly tried to kill her after Danzo's death, but Sasuke knew he had to face the music, so he did, and the look Sakura gave him had been a bit cool which Sasuke expected, but having heard the whole story, she did tell him that she wasn't going to judge him given that she had never gone through what he did (even though Sakura herself knew she would have snapped a long time ago if she had been in Sasuke's shoes). Sasuke nonetheless apologized to Sakura and made his way out shortly after some idle conversation. Then as time went by he started doing the same thing with just dropping by and helping Sakura and even Ino with carrying what medical supplies that needed to be carried when he wasn't doing his community service. Eventually Sakura and Ino asked him out for a bite to eat one afternoon, which he accepted, and eventually things started to get serious. Then one day someone from an outside village tried to infiltrate the hospital to steal some medicine. Sasuke had been helping Sakura and Ino at the time and when the perpetrator tried to surprise them, Sakura and Ino were able to subdue him, but there was another accomplice who managed to get the drop on the two kunoichis, and the second thief would've succeeded in offing the two women had Sasuke not managed to stop him, which was impressive since Sasuke at the time still had his chakra sealed up. But thanks to some improvisation (a trait Sasuke picked up from Naruto), Sasuke managed to stop the second accomplice and call for help. At that moment, Naruto then became convinced that Sasuke proved himself as a Konoha-nin and officially had Sasuke's chakra unsealed. Grateful for a second chance, Sasuke then set about re-training himself as a Genin, then as a Jonin, and then eventually he entered the ANBU, and once he proved himself there, he was finally able to earn the right to use the CRA, and once he did he proposed to both Sakura and Ino, and in time, they were married (although Naruto did wonder why Sasuke took longer than expected to take the plunge completely).

The same thing seemed to be the case with just about all of Naruto's other friends, where they all became even greater ninjas, and some married (Sai with Yakumo, Shikamaru with Temari, Choji with a woman from Suna) while others didn't (Lee, Shino, and Tenten). But through it all, they all lived to have happy and peaceful lives.

And the same thing applied to the Konoha 12's Jonin senseis. Gai was eventually able to find his own future wife in the form of an Iwa visitor-turned citizen of Konoha (which everyone was shocked since there weren't that many who could put up with Gai's "Flames of Youth" speeches), as did Kakashi, who also went the CRA route and ended up marrying both Ayame and Shizune.

For Kurenai, she pretty much stayed single for a while. Several of her fellow Jonin tried to convince her to go out and try to find love again (since not even Asuma would want her to grieve for him for the rest of her life), but she would only politely say, "Thanks, but no thanks" and focused more of her time on raising her daughter, whom she named Biwako in honor of her late lover's mother.

However, things would eventually change for Kurenai, for as her daughter got older and wanted to enroll in the Ninja Academy (which Kurenai granted), Iruka, for no real reason or other took it upon himself to look after Biwako as she was attending the Academy. Although Iruka already knew Shikamaru was looking after the girl as well (to say nothing of Naruto and Hinata's efforts), the Academy teacher still wanted to do what he could to help, given that he too had respect for Asuma and hated the fact that the latter died before he had a chance to fully live a life with Kurenai and their child.

_But then again, such is the life of a shinobi._ Iruka thought sadly.

Eventually things between Iruka and Kurenai changed when the latter asked the former if he would like to come over to her house for dinner. Iruka accepted, and then things just went from there until at some point Iruka and Kurenai crossed the threshold and became an item, and then eventually, they married (they would later go on to have two kids of their own).

But sadly even the sun has to set on one's life, and Naruto's wives as well as his friends and teachers were no exceptions. It was in this where Naruto started to realize that his Uzumaki bloodline trait (long life spans and a healing factor) was a bit of a double-edge sword, for while his children from his four wives ended up inheriting that same trait (as did their own children), his wives didn't, and Naruto was saddened by this, but Hinata and the others assured him that they were okay with their mortality and they had long since accepted the fact that Naruto was going to live longer than they did. Plus, the fact that they were able to live a life with him was more than they would ever ask for.

As his friends, teachers and his four wives eventually passed away Naruto made sure to have their names engraved on the memorial stone as well as their respective homelands/clan symbols to make sure their memories were always honored and never forgotten.

A few more decades later Naruto then came to the realization that his era had ended and that it was time for him to explore new pastures outside of not just Konoha or Fire Country, but outside the ninja world. The fact that he had managed to raise his children (with help from his wives of course) into great people and they in turn did the same for their own children and that Naruto himself long since passed the Hokage mantle to Konohamaru (and now the latter had recently passed the mantle on to his own successor) only made it more of a reason to venture out into the world much like what his long-departed godfather Jiraiya did. For even with all of Naruto's experience, there were still many places he hadn't seen and wanted to see. So having made his announcement to everyone in Konoha, Naruto then bid his beloved village farewell (but not before promising that if they ever needed his help, he would return) and set off for his new journey.

Throughout his travels Naruto came across many people – good and bad – as well as many problems that at times needed _his_ kind of assistance, but fortunately none that required him to tap into the chakra of Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox completely (of course, the bijū didn't hesitate to assist Naruto when he fought any foes).

Then at some point Naruto found himself encountering ANBU from his home village again. It turned out that although Orochimaru was finally dealt with decades ago, someone had taken up a similar goal. However, this time it was to gain mastery over the fabric of time itself. And the only way to do that was to obtain mastery over all the space-time jutsus in existence, including those that were deemed forbidden. No sooner did Naruto learn of this did he then transport himself (and the ANBU) back to Konoha via his father's jutsu in an attempt to find out more about what was going on, and it turned out that the mastermind was someone who had gone through a horrifying tragedy as a child and spent most of his life trying to make peace with it, but ended up falling in with the wrong crowd and at some point, found one of Orochimaru's long-abandoned labs, discovered the jutsus there, and intended on learning the space-time ones in an attempt to prevent what happened to his family. Unfortunately his desire had driven him to madness (and in ways worse than what Sasuke went through), and when Naruto initially tried to reason with the man but discovered that it was to no avail, Naruto knew he had to do what was necessary (although he still hoped his foe found peace in the afterlife).

During the fight at one of Orochimaru's labs, the enemy then started to create a space-time jutsu in an attempt to trap Naruto in it, and Naruto quickly moved to stop him, but the man's madness, along with his extensive studying of Orochimaru's jutsus, allowed him to complete the jutsu. Naruto then countered with his own Space-Time jutsu, hoping that it would be enough to close the portal his enemy created. But the result was anything but what Naruto had expected, for as his jutsu and his enemy's jutsu collided, an explosion of light resulted from the impacts of both jutsus. When the light cleared away, the man's mangled and half-torn body was seen lying on the ground, along with lots of debris and wreckage. However, in the case of Naruto, he was nowhere to be seen, except for a small shred of an orange fabric with a black flame design…

* * *

Now at this moment, Naruto found himself in a void of nothing but pure light with a slight touch of gray that seemed to go forever.

And although he felt tired, he did not feel completely exhausted. In fact, he felt like he had just woken up from a nap.

_What in the world…?_ Naruto thought to himself.

_Hey Kurama? Are you still there? Can you hear me?_

"**Loud and clear, kit.**" Kurama replied from his cage, which Naruto had long since modified to make it look less of a cage and more homely.

"Are we…dead?"

"No child. I can assure you and your resident that you are not." Spoke a kind voice.

Naruto then turned at the sound of the voice and saw a figure take form within the light, until finally he saw a woman standing before him. With her elegant robes and long hair that looked like a flame of pure gold and piercing blue eyes, one could say she was beautiful beyond description (and that was saying something, given that Naruto had been married to four beautiful women in his time), but Naruto could sense a great power emanating from the woman. A type of power that was not negative or malevolent in any way, but a mixture of strength and gentleness all rolled into one.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked.

The woman then smiled. "I am that which created these universes that we now reside in. Not just your own, of course, but this one as well."

"You mean…I'm not in my own world anymore?" Naruto asked.

"**I believe she just said that, kit.**" Kurama said.

Fortunately, the woman was not offended.

"No child. You are no longer in your own world, much less your own dimension."

"But how did…how did this happen?"

"Patience child." Spoke the woman gently yet firmly. "I promise you will know everything you need to know. So please sit down. Time stands still in a place such as this, so we need not worry about that little factor."

"But before anything, I would like to ask: what is your name?" Asked the woman once she and Naruto sat down. Of course, the woman already knew who Naruto was having seen his entire life-story, but still wanted to be courteous anyway.

At first Naruto wasn't sure if he should tell this woman his full name (consequence of experience), but if she had somehow saved him from being killed by that space-time jutsu, then at least he could give her that much.

"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze." He said.

"Good strong name." Said the woman. "And I have to say, the meaning of those names fit you very well."

Although he was no longer in his teens, much less his "prime" years, Naruto couldn't help but blush at the woman's comment.

"Thank you." Naruto said. "So, if you don't mind me asking…who are you?"

"I do not really have a name that you can call me (or at least not one like yours for instance), but I am the essence of life itself; I am what people in _this_ universe call…The Force."

"The Force?" Naruto asked.

"Yes." Spoke the Force.

"So, you created this universe?"

"In actuality I have created _all_ universes." Said the Force. "But within each one I go by different names/titles. For example, in your world I am known as Kami."

"So there isn't just one dimension like the ones I've seen, but other places where people literally live in?"

"Very much." Answered the Force. "When I saw the break in the barrier between your universe and this one, I acted quickly and brought you to the place between dimensions before your body succumbed to the strain (and even with your resident trying to keep you alive, you would have surely died)."

"Wait, so you know that I have Kurama sealed in me?" Naruto asked, inwardly getting concerned.

"Yes." Replied the Force. "But do not worry. I am not someone who judges a person by their circumstances, especially those that are out of a person's control. Besides, the fact that you managed to overcome your hardships and forge bonds with even those who once belittled you is more than commendable, especially given that you managed to form an unlikely yet strong friendship with your resident."

"But the part that I also find favorable is that out of your bonds of love and experience, you not only defeated the ones that threatened your world, but you created a genuine peace and balance, the kind that would also allow there to be adaptation for the changing times, so there would be no room for complacency, much less allow anyone to become stagnant for the most part."

"Thank you." Naruto said, to which the Force nodded.

"Now the reason I have brought you here is because in _this_ specific universe, there is something (or rather someone) that threatens to plunge it into a darkness the likes of which have never been seen before."

"How so?" Naruto asked.

"In this universe, I have endowed several individuals over the generations with my own abilities. This was done to ensure that my will would be carried out throughout that universe – that of genuine peace and balance. Of course, as you know from your own experience, wherever there is light, there is also darkness."

"Yin and Yang." Naruto noted.

"Correct." Agreed the Force. "And while my warriors were known as the Jedi, the ones who strayed from my will and became completely consumed with the dark emotions/desires of all sentient beings were known as the Sith. Later they would add the word 'Lord' to the title to add a sense of superiority."

"But what exactly made some of your Jedi become Siths?" Naruto asked.

"It all started when one Jedi believed that the true nature of my will lied not in the light, but in the darkness itself. Now although there _is_ power in the darkness, utilizing that kind of power _alone_ comes with a price: You lose yourself in every single way, to the point where you are no longer the person you once were and you become your own worst enemy. Needless to say, war between the Jedi and Sith was only a matter of time."

_Sounds a lot like what Sasuke went through._ Naruto thought. _He wanted revenge on Itachi for massacring his entire clan, and he felt the only way to do that was to gain power, _any_ kind of power, even if it meant sacrificing who he was as a person to do it._

"I take it that it sounds familiar to you, doesn't it?" Asked the Force.

"In many ways, yes." Naruto replied.

"But what the Sith did not realize is that there is a power much greater than anything they could ever obtain by _solely_ going to the Dark Side."

"What's that?" Naruto asked, although he had a feeling he knew what it was.

The Force then gave a small smile. "I believe you know what it is. Your own parents demonstrated it when they saved you on the night of your birth."

"Love." Naruto said.

"Exactly." Said the Force. "Unfortunately, at some point after the Jedi-Sith war ended, the Jedi made the decision to forbid attachments, believing that love would be more of a hindrance than help, and at its worst, would make it possible for their own to fall prey to the Dark Side."

"But that's ridiculous, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, his verbal tic coming out at the end. "In _my_ experience, one becomes stronger by having someone precious to them. It's what gives someone a reason to train and get stronger – so he/she can protect those they care about (as long as you're not taking unnecessary shortcuts). I'm sorry, but _not_ having any bonds of any kind while training/honing your skills kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing! What exactly makes these Jedi believe that _no_ attachments/bonds will accomplish anything?"

"In all honesty, even they do not know." Answered the Force. "Forbidding attachments in their code was created more out of fear than actual adaptation to the times. After all, if one was to get desperate enough, he/she would be capable of anything, even betraying who they are inside."

"Well, I can tell you in my experience, there was a moment in my life where I was truly tempted to give up, but then a friend of mine (who later became my wife) reminded me that if I was to _truly_ give up, if I was to go back on everything I believed in, then I will have truly killed my friends/comrades/loved ones. And that as hard as it was to see some of my comrades killed, I learned that I can keep their memories safe in my heart, and in that sense they would always live on." Naruto said.

"And that brings us to why I have brought you here. Knowing that the Sith were on the rise, I knew that the time to bring my Chosen One to this universe was at hand, and so ten years ago I had my child conceived by my will within the womb of a slave mother. The purpose of my Chosen One is to bring balance, and doing so means not just defeating the Sith Lords once and for all, but to also bring about change to the Jedi order so they never lose sight of what my will is, what true strength is and where it really lies in, which is love."

_Sounds like what the Sage of the Six Paths once said to me and my brethren,_ Kurama thought. _Albeit cryptically of course…_

"Is your Chosen One with his mother still or…?"

"No, he was found by a Jedi whom to me represents the better part (if not the only better part) of the Order. However, despite being able to help defeat an organization known as the Trade Federation and save the planet called Naboo, the Jedi Order had decided not to have my Chosen One trained, which fortunately, coincides with my will."

"You don't want him trained?" Naruto asked, perplexed.

"I do, but I cannot and will not have it be done by an Order that would only ostracize him and treat him as an outcast because he is different, much less a recently knighted Jedi who, even with his good intentions – would only be callous to my Chosen One's issues instead of helping him overcome them and only critique him more than encourage him." Said the Force adamantly. "Discipline is important, but so is encouragement and lending a friendly ear."

_Definitely something I can understand._ Naruto thought.

"Not only that, but the Sith have managed to cloak themselves so well, that they are in plain sight of the Jedi and the latter parties are not even aware of it. And as I have said before, the Jedi cutting themselves off from the people they serve and becoming proud of their own stature to the point of arrogance has been more offending to me than what the Sith have done, which is not a statement I make lightly, considering the atrocities the Sith have committed over the millennia."

"That reminds me of something my father once said in my world." Naruto said.

"What did he say?" The Force asked.

"He said with the shinobi system we had years ago (even before I was born), genuine peace could never be achieved. And that as long as we stick to the very same system we have been using and don't adapt for the times, that system eventually becomes disordered, and in the end, the only thing that results is more people becoming consumed by hatred – and with help from master manipulators – turn into war-mongers because of that hatred (of course, more often than not the hatred comes from wanting to save something precious to you, something said manipulators know how to twist to their advantage), and to be a shinobi (which would be a version of a Jedi in some ways I guess) means to fight that hatred. But if the system stays unchanged, then the cycle of hatred continues with no end, and any efforts made by good shinobi are all done in vain and good lives are unnecessarily lost."

"Wise words," Noted the Force. "And that is exactly why I have brought you to this universe."

At that moment, that was when Naruto realized what the Force needed him for. "You want me to train your Chosen One."

"Yes," Replied the Force. "Now I know you do not have powers endowed from me in this universe, but your own set of gifts, coupled with all the experiences you have gone through are _exactly_ what my Chosen One will need if he is to fulfill his destiny. And do not worry in regards to training my Chosen One to hear my voice. I already have someone who will help on that end, and you will be able to see him as well."

"So then…where do I literally go from here?"

"You'll be sent to a desert planet known as Tatooine. My Chosen One is on his way there and should be landing there momentarily. Go to him and protect him."

"Okay." Naruto said as he and the Force got up. "But one thing though before I go…what is your Chosen One's name?"

"His name is Anakin Skywalker."

"Good name." Naruto said genuinely.

"Thank you." Said the Force kindly. "All the best to you Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, I will be with you both."

Naruto gave a kind polite nod before the woman disappeared and Naruto felt himself being grabbed on by something as the view around him changed from just being an eternity of white/semi-gray to a blistering hot desert…

* * *

_Damn! It is freakin' hot!_ Naruto thought as he closed his eyes to the point of squinting as he tried to look through the blinding sunlight.

"**You're telling me!**" Kurama said.

_Not even Suna ever got this hot! What kind of world is this?_

"**Don't know, but I highly doubt there are many worlds that have ****two**** suns!**" Kurama noted.

Naruto then looked up again and was able to make out not one but two suns up the sky.

_Sheesh, no wonder it's a freakin' desert!_

"**No doubt, but come on, there's settlements just ahead. Hopefully they have shade, and for your own sake, water.**"

_True._ Naruto thought to both himself and his fellow bijū as he unfurled a hood from his cloak and draped it over his head before making his way to what looked like an old-fashioned village, with people (and other creatures) wandering about.

_Well Kurama, _Naruto thought sarcastically as he saw the people that weren't human. _I don't think we're in Konoha anymore._

"**No shit.**" Agreed the fox with its own sarcastic tone.


	3. Dug encounters and ninja saviors

Chapter 2 – Dug encounters and ninja saviors

* * *

"_When the pupil is ready, the master will appear."  
_– Unknown

If there was a way to describe the emotions running through Anakin Skywalker right now as he stepped off the ship at Mos Espa Spaceport, it could be summed up in one word: Despondency.

Although he had managed to help Padme (later to be revealed as Naboo's Queen Amidala herself) and her comrades get the hyperdrive parts for her ship, and despite managing to even take out one of the droid control-ships later on which saved Naboo from the Trade Federation's grasp, he was still rejected by the Jedi Order and sent back to this dust-bowl of a planet otherwise known as Tatooine.

And the part that really bothered him was that the Jedi's reasons were that he was "too old" and that he "had too much anger in him".

_Okay, my little spat with Greedo _was_ pretty stupid, I know that, but at what point was I rude towards anyone besides that sleamo? And if they meant what I went through growing up, well…life here on Tatooine wasn't exactly a picnic, but it wasn't to the point that there weren't some upsides. I mean, I had mom, plus Watto was a _way_ better master than most other slave masters (even though I did drive him up a wall a couple of times), there was also Kitster and the other kids, and I was able to tinker with stuff and pod-race whenever the chance came up. Granted, it scared mom half to death, but I loved doing it. But even through all that, I wanted to do more. I wanted to help people. That's why I thought – hoped, that as a Jedi, I could do that…_

But knowing that there wasn't much he could do, and already realizing that he could either brood on the whole situation or just shrug it off – hard as it was – and just keep going forward, Anakin went for the latter choice.

_At least they were nice enough to give me some money that works here._ Anakin thought as he remembered his two Jedi escorts giving him currency that was accepted on a place like Tatooine. While the youngest Jedi seemed sympathetic, the older seemed more indifferent which made no sense to the boy.

_If they're supposed to be peacekeepers, why do some of them act like they have Gafii sticks up their butts? Why aren't they more like Qui-Gon?_

Feeling thirsty, Anakin made his way over to the place he and his friends used to frequent, hoping that after a ruby-bliel he could then figure out where to go from here.

However, no sooner did he get closer to his stop did Anakin realize he was being trailed, courtesy of some Force tips Qui-Gon gave him back when he was alive. Acting quickly, Anakin took to the alleyways, hoping to avoid whoever was trailing him.

But even with that, Anakin was only able to evade his pursuers for a while before they cut him off on both ends of the alley.

"Well well, look at what the Nexu dragged in and pissed all over." Spoke a voice that was all too familiar to Anakin.

"Sebulba." Anakin growled as he saw the Dug step out in front of the punks that had cornered him.

"You really have a lot of nerve coming back here Skywalker, especially if you knew the humiliation I had to endure thanks to you." Said the Dug with a seething tone.

"Well, what can I say? I guess I just don't know when to quit while I'm ahead." Anakin retorted.

"Obviously." Noted Sebulba. "But consider _that_ your final mistake, Bantha-poodoo."

"And just how do you figure that?" Anakin asked, keeping the acerbic wit up, not wanting Sebulba to get a hint that he was a little more nervous than he was letting on.

"Well, let's just say while I was recuperating from my loss to you (which you only won by luck, not skill), I overheard that Gardulla was in need of some new _recruits_ for her brothel."

A grim look crossed Anakin's face.

"And since I had spent some time wondering how to pay you back if I ever saw you again…well, I don't think I need to draw you a picture, now do I?"

"So in a way, one could almost call it full-circle. You and your harlot mother used to be under Gardulla's thumb, now you are back here, about to be sent back to her."

That's when Anakin dropped his nervousness and got up in the Dug's face.

"If you want to go ahead and insult me, fine. But don't you _dare_ insult my mom."

"Sorry to disappoint you Skywalker, but unlike the glim and glam that's Coruscant or any of those other Republic systems, you're back on Tatooine, and right now, _I'm_ the one holding the winning Sabacc hand." Sebulba then gestured to his hired thugs, who then grabbed Anakin. The boy tried to fight back, but the punks were too strong for him.

"Now if I were you, I would try to enjoy these last moments of freedom, Skywalker. 'Cause they're going to be the last ones you'll ever have."

But no sooner did Sebulba finish his sentence did a small dagger hit the ground near him, then several others followed, each one hitting the ground near the Dug's cohorts. Since they all heard the sound everyone looked around to see where they came from, but saw nothing save the drapes and other assorted cloths over some of the walls and windows. One punk who wasn't holding on to Anakin picked up one of the dagger-like objects, noticing a tag at the end of the handle. However, no sooner did he touch the tag did the tag explode, unleashing a spray of pepper and mini flash-bangs that blinded the punk. Then the other daggers seemed to go off, unleashing a large amount of smoke that blanketed the entire alley and made Sebulba and his cohorts go into coughing fits, including Anakin.

"Is this another one of your tricks, Skywalker?" Sebulba demanded as he tried to see through the smoke, but with no success.

Anakin of course didn't answer, for he too was trying to see through the smoke. But then he felt himself sensing three other people moving around the area and through the smoke. Within just a few seconds there was the sound of punches and kicks, followed by the punks groaning in pain. Then Anakin saw Sebulba go flying all the way through the alleyway out into the streets.

Trying to see, Anakin then focused his senses to see if he could find out just what was happening, but then he tripped on a piece of concrete and almost fell on his back had not a pair of strong hands grabbed him from behind.

"It's okay kid. I got you." Spoke a gentle voice.

"Who…? What's goin' on?" Anakin wondered as he looked up to see who was his mystery rescuer, only to see said rescuer's face obscured by an orange hood.

"Ask me again later. Right now let's get out of this dump before that slime-bucket over there comes back with more of his buddies. Hold on." Spoke the stranger as Anakin grabbed onto the former's wrist, and then all the boy saw was a flash of yellow before he and the stranger found themselves on one of the rooftops, which fortunately had a shaded canopy shielding them from the two suns.

* * *

For Naruto it wasn't hard to track down where Anakin was. Getting his bearings on a whole new world that had twin suns however, was a different story. Once he was able to get some shade, he tried to purchase some drinking water but to no avail, since his currency didn't even remotely match what the shopkeepers wanted in exchange for selling him anything to drink.

Body-flickering over to one of the roofs with a shaded canopy, Naruto then used his chakra-sensing to locate where Anakin could be. Within less than a second he was able to lock on to Anakin's location. While he wasn't sure if Anakin's ability to use the gifts granted to him by the Force counted as chakra, Naruto guessed that it probably was as good a match. Plus, the energy around Anakin felt almost blinding, but not in a way where it was disturbing, but rather…positive and passionate.

However, Naruto was also able to sense a couple of thugs who spotted Anakin and were following him. Not needing a second more to realize those punks meant trouble Naruto quickly made two shadow-clones and had them hide among the assorted items lying about while he used his chakra to mark a spot on the roof so once he rescued the kid he could use the Flying Thunder God jutsu to teleport himself and the kid back here.

"Whoa! That was wizard!" Anakin said in awe once he and his rescuer appeared.

"Yeah, pretty cool, huh?" Asked the stranger.

"Uh, yeah!" Anakin said as he turned to notice his surroundings.

"Whoever you are…thanks." Anakin said to the stranger, who then pulled back his orange hood, revealing the face of a tall young man with blonde hair lighter than Anakin's, but with a spiky look to go along with it. In addition to his black headband, piercing blue eyes and what looked like whisker marks on his cheeks, the man was dressed in a black long-sleeved zip-up tracksuit with a green unzipped flak jacket, khaki pants and a few pouches on his person (two on the back of his belt, another on his right leg), along with two fingerless gloves with a metal plate. A short-sleeved cloak that was red on the inside, but orange on the outside with a black flame motif on the edges completed the look.

"You're welcome." Spoke the stranger with a fox-like smile.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. But you can just call me Naruto for short." Said Naruto as he extended his hand, and Anakin shook it eagerly.

"Anakin Skywalker."

"Good name." Naruto said.

"Thanks." Anakin replied. "Are you a Jedi?"

"No." Naruto said. "Although I suppose in some ways I am, and in some ways I'm not."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story."

"I got time." Anakin said somewhat forlornly. "I was on my way to my mom's, but that Dug and his cronies…"

"Yeah, I saw what was happening, and I overheard what that scumbag was planning to do." Naruto remarked with a tone of anger.

"He's not dead, is he?"

"No, he's alive, but he'll be in a lot of pain for a while." Naruto said. "Hopefully he'll back off."

"I doubt it." Anakin said. "If he still has a grudge against me for winning the Boonta Eve race even now, he'll be back."

"Well, tell you what, how about if we go to your place, and I'll tell you and your mom everything you want to know?" Naruto suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." Anakin said as he and his new friend got up. "But how do we get down?"

"That's easy." Naruto said as he gestured for the younger boy to grab onto his wrist. Anakin did, and they both body-flickered to the ground instantly.

"You have _got_ to show me how to do that." Anakin marveled.

"One day, I will." Naruto promised. "So where do you and your mom live?"

"Actually, not too far from here." Anakin answered. "Come on, I'll show you the way."

* * *

For Shmi Skywalker, it seemed like a day like any other. Normally her Ani would be up and about, grabbing a glass of water and heading to his room/makeshift workshop to tinker with stuff until Watoo needed him in his shop while she would make breakfast (or in the case of now, dinner) before she would get to work on cleaning the various computer systems.

Yes, that's how it normally would be, but now…with Ani gone, things just felt…empty.

But despite this, she knew that letting her son go with Qui-Gon Jinn was the right decision. She knew that Ani was not just anyone, and that he was meant for more than just the life of a slave.

Upon hearing a knock at the door and an all-too-familiar voice calling out, "Mom, it's me!", Shmi stopped what she was doing and headed straight for the door and opened it, revealing her beloved son and a tall young man who looked like an older version of Ani in some respects.

"Ani?" Shmi asked, her mouth gaping in shock.

"Yeah mom. It's me." Anakin said as he rushed into his mother's arms, the latter embracing him tightly, as if afraid to let him go.

Naruto watched the scene with a small smile on his face, remembering the times he would embrace his own children back in the day.

"What are you doing here?" Shmi asked.

"It's a long story mom. A really, really long story." Anakin said.

"And who are you?" Shmi asked the tall stranger.

"I'm Naruto Namikaze." Naruto said with a smile. "I take it you are his mother?"

"Yes. I am Shmi Skywalker."

"Pleased to meet you." Naruto said with a polite bow.

"How…?" Shmi asked as she looked to her son to Naruto.

"Well, I think your son put it best: it's a very long story." Naruto replied.

"Well please, come in." Shmi said as she ushered the two inside, given that the sandstorms were now kicking up.

* * *

When Anakin was finished telling his tale after dinner, Shmi was shocked. Not only was Qui-Gon lost in a battle with a Sith Lord, but the Jedi Oder made the decision to _not_ have Anakin trained, despite everything her son did to help everyone on Naboo.

Aside from Qui-Gon, Shmi's respect for the Jedi Order dropped several degrees.

"And they couldn't just make an exception for you?" Shmi asked, to which Anakin just shook his head.

"No."

_I don't understand,_ Shmi thought. _If they are charged with serving people, how can they be so close-minded to not bend the rules just this once?_

_Even in other timelines, there are still people who aren't willing to be flexible._ Naruto thought.

"**The more I'm hearing about this Jedi Order, the more I see it as another faction like Root." **Kurama added in semi-disgust. **"If** **that rotting corpse Danzō were alive in this timeline, he would have loved it."**

"It sucks, but what can I do? Qui-Gon's gone, and although Padmé tried to get her government to help free you, they wouldn't allow her to. Since I was kind of under Qui-Gon's charge, the Order decided to send me back here." Anakin said in a tone of resignation.

"Well, despite everything, I am glad that you're here, even if it wasn't the way you would've wanted." Shmi said.

"So what's your story?" Shmi asked Naruto.

Once Naruto heard Shmi say this he wondered how to explain _his_ side of the story. While telling them that he was originally from another dimension and that the Force sent him here to help Anakin would be far-fetched, Naruto didn't really have any other way of being able to explain it to them (even though part of him had a feeling both mother and son had already seen their own share of strange, unexplained things), so he took a shot in the dark and began his story.

"Honestly, I'm not really sure where to begin, but as to how I ended up here, well…it's because the Force herself sent me here from another universe."

A look of surprise and disbelief crossed both Anakin and Shmi's faces for a few seconds.

"I think I'm supposed to hear the punch-line, but it's not coming, is it?" Anakin asked.

"No," Naruto answered. "I'm afraid not."

"And speaking for myself, I know for a fact he is not joking." Spoke a kind voice.

Naruto, Anakin, and Shmi turned and right there on the other side of the table, materialized an image of the now late Qui-Gon Jinn as he then took the empty seat across from Shmi.

"Master Qui-Gon?" Anakin asked.

"Yes Ani, it is me." Qui-Gon said as he gave a warm charming smile to both Anakin and his mother.

"But how? I mean…I thought you died." Anakin said.

"Only in a physical way, young one." Qui-Gon said. "And you must be Naruto Namikaze, am I right?"

"The very same." Naruto said as he remembered the Force telling him about someone else helping with Anakin's training.

"Well, it is an honor and a privilege to meet someone of your stature." Qui-Gon said earnestly, having already heard Naruto's life-story from the Force.

"Thank you Qui-Gon – sama." Naruto said before he turned his attention to Anakin and his mother.

At that moment Naruto realized he couldn't explain his life story _just_ from his own words. Although judging from the way Qui-Gon introduced himself to Naruto, the former Hogake had a feeling that the maverick Jedi already knew the whole thing, which only left the issue of Shmi and Anakin. At that moment, it no longer was a question of whether to tell them or not, but rather _how_ to do it.

"**I know we only **_**just**_** met them Naruto, and given our collective experience it normally **_**wouldn't**_** be a good idea, but if we're going to help this other kit do whatever it is he needs to do, then I think it's best if we put most, if not all the cards on the table,"** Kurama said. **"…especially if the boy has a handle on sensing whether someone is lying or keeping secrets (and it seems he does). And if we're gonna be on this sandbox for a while…"**

_Yeah…_ Naruto thought back before coming to a decision.

"Honestly, I think it's best if I show you." Naruto said as he reached for an unused napkin from the middle of the table, pulled out a pen from his flak jacket and started to draw something on it. Within a few seconds Naruto had drawn an intricate symbol on the napkin which he then placed in the middle of the table. Then he placed his left hand on his stomach while he placed his right hand on the napkin, specifically on the symbol he had drawn.

"All right, now I need everyone to put their hands on the napkin." Naruto said to Anakin, Shmi, and Qui-Gon.

"**Gonna do it, huh?"** Kurama asked.

_Mm-hm._ Naruto confirmed.

"**Guess I better hide the Icha-Icha novels."** Kurama said sarcastically.

"I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it'll make explaining a whole lot easier." Naruto insisted.

So Anakin, Shmi, and even Qui-Gon placed their hands on Naruto's own, which caused the symbol to glow. Next thing Anakin, Shmi and Qui-Gon knew, they found themselves standing in what could only look like the inside of a factory, with water touching the bottom of their boots (Of course, given that Qui-Gon was a Force-Spirit, he didn't have to worry about water).

"Where…where are we?" Anakin asked.

"Physically, we're still sitting in the kitchen." Naruto supplied. "Mentally though, we're in the landscape of my mind."

Shmi was flat-out surprised by this, but a warm hand on her shoulder from Qui-Gon helped sooth her nerves.

"Follow me." Naruto said. "There's someone I need all of you to meet; for my story is connected to this individual."

In no time at all the foursome came to what looked like a gate to an expensive mansion/palace, along with some warning signs to trespassers, along with other signs being movie posters and whatnot.

"What's 'Icha-Icha Tactics?'" Anakin asked innocently as he saw one of the posters.

"Um, just follow me." Naruto said as he ushered his guests closer to the gate.

As they got closer Anakin found that not only was the gate open, but he could sense a great power coming from within that gate. Not knowing what it was, but wanting his mom safe Anakin stepped in front of his mom just behind Naruto.

"Kurama, we're here!" Naruto called out.

"**Well, come on in!"** Kurama said back. **"Let's not be lurking near the gate. It's quite rude if someone does that."**

Shmi and Anakin's eyes widened as they saw a silhouette form from behind the open gate, then as the figure stepped out into the light Shmi, Anakin, and Qui-Gon came face-to-face with a giant fox with orange-red fur, red eyes, and nine tails.

"**Welcome to my humble abode everyone!"** Kurama said with a toothy grin. Although the bijū had long since discarded its hatred towards humans, that didn't mean it didn't get a kick out of seeing new 'visitors' act nervous around it.

Qui-Gon was the only other person besides Naruto who remained calm for the most part, but even with his own experience, and even with everything the Force revealed to him regarding Naruto, the Jedi Master was still somewhat unprepared for something like this.

Fortunately Naruto could pick up on his guest's anxieties and tried to calm everyone down.

"I know this is _way_ out of anyone's comfort zone, but I promise Kurama's not going to hurt you. Its bark is much worse than its bite, unless you're an enemy." Naruto assured. "Fortunately, no one here is."

"**Although these Sith Lords I've heard about seem to be up my alley if you want to talk foes."** Kurama said as it stepped forward and then sat down between Naruto and Qui-Gon.

"Forgive me, but this is a bit much to take in." Shmi said as she looked from Kurama to Naruto. Although Shmi was semi-calm, inwardly she was on the verge of freaking out completely.

Naruto smiled gently. "I promise all of you that I'll tell you everything you want to know and more. But just so you don't think I'm some crazy guy making up stuff (even with Qui-Gon – sama here) I brought you here because what I'm about to tell you involves my friend here as well." He finished as he gestured towards Kurama.

A look of concern crossed Shmi's face as she looked at the tailed beast, wondering how that…_creature_ figured into Naruto's life.

"So where did it all start?" Anakin asked Naruto, eager to know who his new friend was despite feeling quite weary towards the giant fox.

Naruto then gave another smile that, when Anakin and Shmi saw the grin, they could have sworn that Naruto seemed older than he appeared.

"It starts all the way back, at the very beginning…" Naruto began.

* * *

After Naruto finished telling his tale (with Kurama adding in details of its own and Anakin's occasional interrupting, the latter of which didn't offend Naruto given how he once was at that age), Shmi and Anakin were just shocked. At some points (namely in regards to Minato and Kushina's ultimate sacrifice) Shmi and Anakin had tears running down their faces. Even Qui-Gon had a few tears himself.

To Anakin, the fact that Naruto went through so much at a young age – more than what he and his mother had ever gone through – and still managed to forge ahead and not only triumph over the many obstacles thrown at him, but find love and happiness as well was nothing short of awe-inspiring, and at that moment the boy felt a deep kinship to the older blonde.

"I still can't believe you're as old as you are, yet you seem no older than twenty-five or so." Shmi said.

"Well, between the long lifespan I got from my mother's clan and Kurama's power, I can't say it's only because of clean living." Naruto said.

"**Well, if one was to count eating ramen noodles most of the time as clean living."** Kurama pointed out.

"Hey, Hina-chan and the others made more than that, fur-ball." Naruto said already falling into his usual banter with the fox.

"**And was it before or after they threatened you with no sex if you didn't start eating **_**more**_** than ramen?"** Kurama retorted, even though it knew Shion, Mei, and Koyuki were the ones who made that threat, outvoting Hinata at the time.

"Kurama, come on!" Naruto said. "We got a ten-year old present here."

"It's okay." Anakin said, now realizing what the Icha-Icha Tactics poster he had seen a while ago implied. "I've heard worse."

Shmi didn't say anything to that, but despite her awe at Naruto's life story, she still found the idea of a man having more than wife (and in Naruto's case, four women) a bit strange, even though she had heard of such laws existing.

"But anyway, that's why even though I _do_ age, it isn't physically obvious. But even with that, I _can_ be fatally wounded if the injury's bad enough and my healing ability can't handle it." Naruto continued. "So during the fight, I was caught in the explosion, and the next thing I know, I'm face-to-face with the Force herself, and that's how I ended up here."

"So the Force made it to where the Jedi Order wouldn't train me?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah." Naruto said.

"But why?"

"Based on what she told me, I think the Order would only try to mold you into what _they_ feel somebody like you should be, as opposed to just teaching you the skills and helping you harness them to where they fit _you_." Naruto said.

"Of course, not all Jedi _are_ like that, but those very few are not able to speak their words in." Qui-Gon added, knowing Shaak Ti as one of the few who wasn't like many of the council members and tended to disagree with them on occasion herself.

"If you ask me, they _should_ get a word in." Anakin said.

"I know. But the Councilors have to _want_ to listen. Forcing them to listen does not accomplish anything in the long run." Qui-Gon said.

"Even if it's for genuinely good reasons?" Anakin asked.

"Even then." Qui-Gon said gravely, knowing all too well his own disagreements/frustrations with the Jedi Council and the way they did things.

"But hey, all clouds have a silver lining." Naruto said. "And I say you got the better end of the deal in the long-run. Besides, had you been trained by those guys, you would've had have to worry about those sticks-in-the-mud hovering over you and be waiting to criticize you if you so much as sneeze wrong." To which Anakin and the others chuckled at.

"**Naruto's right."** Kurama said. **"And if these Sith Lords have managed to hide themselves to the point where those Jedi's can't detect them even if they're in plain sight, then it's all the better that you weren't trained by them. More than likely you would've been right in front of a Sith at some point and you wouldn't even have known it. Or worse, if you fought one, you wouldn't have been well prepared."**

* * *

The conversation continued some more, but it eventually ended with the agreement to Anakin being trained by Naruto and Qui-Gon, to which it was also agreed that they would begin first thing tomorrow after breakfast, along with Naruto promising that he would do all he could to help Anakin free his mother from slavery. Shmi of course was quite overwhelmed by Anakin's new friend and what was sealed inside of him, along with being able to see Qui-Gon's Force-spirit, but now knowing that there was trouble brewing through the galaxy, and a champion – one not bound by the Jedi Order's archaic rules – was needed, she knew she had to trust Naruto and Qui-Gon to help guide her son. But given what she knew of Qui-Gon in the short time he had been here sometime back, along with seeing Naruto's life story moments ago, she realized that Anakin's chances of being more than what he had been born into, and being able to make a difference in many people's lives fared better under Naruto and Qui-Gon's combined tutelage.

After everyone went to sleep (Naruto slept on the floor in the living room with a sleeping bag), the air around Anakin's bedroom began to shimmer and glow until finally the Force herself appeared. Pleased that the turn of events transpired as she had willed, the Force then spent the next several minutes gazing at her only begotten child, smiling warmly.

In the other timeline when the first and second generations of the Skywalker family were reunited in the afterlife alongside Obi-Wan and the others, the Force then appeared to them all and revealed to them the true purpose of her Chosen One and what she had originally planned. Once she had revealed the full extent of it…well, to say that Obi-Wan, Yoda, and a few others of the old Order were in the proverbial hot-seat was an understatement. Even Satine Kryze gave her lover Obi-Wan a look that wasn't completely sympathetic.

In fact, Jaina Solo, Ben Skywalker, and even Han Solo all voiced the same opinion that translated collectively into this statement:

"_No offense, but what kind of fucked-up system were you guys operating by?"_

Han even went on to say that now that they had all the pieces to the puzzle (something his wife and brother-in-law wanted to know for a long time even with what Leia found in Shmi's journal and from R2's holovids), it was no surprise how Palpatine took control so easily.

"_It wasn't just 'cause that monster learned how to adapt, but also because you guys stayed stuck in the past, you didn't bother to change with the times, and the only thing you really taught your students was how to be something less than droids."_

Han would have continued, but Anakin Skywalker himself broke the ice and said that there was no point in dwelling on the past and whose fault it was or how things might have been, for what happened happened and there was no way to change it – something he knew only too well. All they could do now was just make peace with it, go forward, and just be glad they were all together again, and this time, nobody would be left out.

Yoda agreed, and then said something that pretty much was a clear admission of failure on the Old Order's end in every way:

"_In the end, understood nothing, we of the old Order did. And pay the price for it, Anakin and Padmé's family had. How ironic it is, that in death we had to learn something Anakin had already known – the power of love, and by trying to have him conform to our now-ridiculous code and forsake that emotion only invited tragedy for everyone. But Luke – who inherited his mother's will – brought our Chosen One back via that love, thus showing us of the old Order just how much to learn we still have. Wonder do I, for one last time though, how things might have been had we learned this sooner."_

_And who says an old Master can't learn something new._ Mused the Force as she then recalled how Anakin, Padmé and their family, friends, kids/grandkids all got acquainted/reacquainted, and despite Luke's disappointment with Obi-Wan for not telling him the whole story – especially about his and Leia's birth-mother – he still forgave his mentor, and with that, everyone was finally at peace.

"I know I cannot change what had transpired in that other timeline," Said the Force softly to Anakin. "…but I can at least give you, your angel, and your friends/family a better chance at bringing balance – and most importantly, happiness in _this_ one."

Of course, the Force knew that even with this new chance, things would not be easy for her Chosen One. Especially since she knew that when the dimensional rift happened and she safely retrieved Naruto, there was also someone from Naruto's universe who also managed to make their way to this one. While this individual was deprived of his greatest power save certain…_ocular_ abilities and was permanently sealed away (or so everyone thought), this person was still able to hold on long enough to survive the transition between universes and make it to a planet that would sustain him. Unfortunately…it was also a planet that Darth Sidious used as one of his hidden outposts. Instantly the Force knew that if the Sith Lord was to learn of this person (and it seemed that it he did), the Force knew that no Jedi would be able to stop Sidious, especially if he was able to find a way to utilize those eye powers for his own gain.

And of course, that still wasn't counting the trials her Chosen One had yet to go through down the road. But fortunately, that was where the maverick Jedi Master and the former Orange Hokage came in. And from what the Force saw in both men's hearts, she knew under their tutelage, her Chosen One's foundation would be a strong one, not a fragile one. And that foundation would only get stronger with the help of other people who would mentor Anakin in the future…but that would only be when both Anakin _and_ his future mentors were ready. For now…her Chosen One would be safe with his mother and his new friend Naruto. And of course, Qui-Gon would also be there watching over them.

"You will do far more than just destroy the Sith, my child." Prophesized the Force with a warm smile. "With the aid of Qui-Gon and _especially_ Naruto (who seems to be an echo of you in many ways), you will give the people of this galaxy an ideal to strive towards. Although many will resent you and even oppose you because you are different, there will also be many who will race behind you in inspiration. They will stumble, and they will fall…but in time, they will join you in the sun."

And with that the Force then bent her head and kissed her Chosen One on his head before fading away with her final words.

"In time…you will help them accomplish wonders."


End file.
